Coke-oven



H. W. BUHLER.

COKE OVEN. 7 APPLICATION HLE D JAN. 27. 1917. 1,319,842. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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H. W. BUHLEH.

COKE OVEN.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 27.- 19H. 1,319,842. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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in l1 HENRY W. BUHLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COKEFOK'TEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed J anuary 27, 1917. Serial No. 144,961.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY \V. BUIILER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coke- Ovens, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to heating apparatus generally, but more specifically comprises the. application of the principles of heating involved therein to an improved form ofregenerative and reversible coke oven. The object of the invention is to produce a heating action on ovens of this type which shall be fiexible of control, even, and uniform during both cycles of operation, and a structure in which all parts shall be accessible for observation and manipulation. The best form of apparatus at present known to me embodying my inventionds illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a battery of ovens taken on planes passing through the heating fines and their connections parallel to the longest dimensions of the coking retorts or ovens but not passing through any of said ovens. The sections are taken on broken line 1;1,-1 ,1 of Fig. 3, and on line 11, and broken line l"1 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same battery of ovens taken on. lines 22 of Figs. 1, 3 and 4,, looking to the left, and parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on broken line 33 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a diagram in plan illustrating the circulation of the air and fuel and products of combustion.

Throughout the drawings like reference characteis indicate like parts. 1, 1, (Fig. 2) represent four of an indefinite series of coking chambers, retorts or ovens which have their greatest dimensions horizontal and perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 2.

In other words they are long, narrow, but comparatively high chambers stretching from one face to the other of the upper portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1. They are separated one from another by pairs of intervening walls 2. (See Fig. 2). The members of each pair of walls 2. 2, are joined together by bonding walls 5, 5. (Fig. 1). As a result there are formed-a series of vertical flues 3, 4, arranged in tandem between the retorts 1, 1, etc. )Vhile the bonding walls 5", 5", (that is to say every other bonding wall in each series) are built solid all the way to the roof or top wall 35, the alternate bonding walls 5, 5, have their upper extremities reduced in thickness, as shown at 6 (see Fig. 1) and pierced by a port 7, the effective area of which may be varied by lateral sliding of damper.8, on ledge 9. Thus each flue 3, is connected to its right hand neighbor 4 (looking at Fig. 1) by port 7, so as to form a couple or pair. This is rendered a reversible heating pair by having a fuel connection at the bottom of each flue and also a second connection which may serve'either as an air or waste gas connection, and then having means for manipulating these connections so that when air and fuel are admitted to the bottom of one member, as 3, of each pair of fines, the fuel connection to the other flue l, of the pair is closed and the other passageway thereto serves as awaste gas conduit, and vice versa, when the fuel and chimney connections are reversed.

The fuel supply pipes are placed in galleries 22, below the ovens. As shown there is one gallery for every two retorts and consequently for every two rows of heatin fines. but this arrangement mightbe varied? In each gallery are two fuel pipes which are placed at different levels so their branches may extend in horizontal lines without interfering one'with another. 26* is the upper one and 26 the lower one. Pipe 26, has a series of branches 27, extending to right and left and then upward. to form burners '28. in passages 33, leading to the heating fines. Pipe 26, has similar branches 27, connected to burners 28 The left hand branches 27, and burners 28. of the lower pipe 26, extend to the vertical flues 3. of the left hand row of fiues (looking at Fig. 2) while its right hand branches 27, and burners 28, extend to the flues 4. of the right hand row of fines, the right and left hand branches being staggered as shown in diagram in Fig. 4. In Fig. 2, flues 3, are behind flues 4, and do not show in that figure, but their connections 30 and 31, from conduits 1T. 17. and 30. and 31, from conduits 17. 1 show in dotted-lines. Conversely the left hand branches 27. and burners 28, of upper pipe 26", connect with the lines 4, of the left hand row of fines and the right hand branches and burners connect with the fines 3, of the right hand row of flues (looking at Fig. 2), all as shown clearl in diagram in Fig. 4. The two sets 0 burners 28 and branches 27, of pipe' 26, are staggered oppositely to those 28, and 27, of pipe 26. The flow of gas from each burner may b6 adjusted by cocks 37, 37, (see Fig. 2).

\Vhen one gas pipe 26, is connected to a source of fuel supply by opening valve 36, so that its burners are thrown into operation, the other pipe 26, is shut off by closing its valve 36, so that its burners are out of operation. Assuming that gas is flowing from pipe 26, in any gallery 22, it passes to the left up through burners 28, to the bottoms of flues 3, of the left hand row, and hot air also enters these fiues from air conduit 17, through branches 30, and vertical passages 31, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. As the gas and hot air combine they pass up flues 3, of the left hand row,

as indicated by dotted arrows in Fig. 2,

through ports 7, and down the flue 4, of each pair of that row, as indicated by full line arrows in Fig. 2. thence by assages 31", and branches 30, indicated in ll lines in Fig. 2, to left hand conduit 17, which is connected to the chimney flue during this cycle. In the same way gas passes to the right through burners 28, to the bottoms of fines 4, of the right hand row mingles with air from conduit 17 delivered through branches 30 and 31, burns in flue 4. passes up through port 7, as shown by fulllinc arrows, down flue 3, of each pair as shown by dotted arrows, to right hand conduit 17, and to the chimney. As pipe 26, isshut oft, all the burners 28, connected to it are dead and exercise no function during this cycle. The burnt gases pass out of left hand flues 4, and right hand fiues 3, to the conduits 17 the burner pockets 33, at the bottom of these flues being merely dead ends for such flues,

During the opposite cycle of operations pipe 26, is shut off and gas is turned on to pipe 26*. Conduits 17, are supplied with hot air, conduits 17. are connected to the chimney flue and all the above described operations are reversed.

10, 10, are passageways through roof 35, in 'line with flues 3, 3, normally closed'by covers 11. Similarly 12, 12, are passagesin line with fiues 4, 4, normally. closed by covers 13, 13. p

The conduits 15, 15 17, 17, which are used alternately for hot air and ases of combustion, do not extend continuously through the structure, but are separated by walls 14;, 14%. located in planes approximately midway of the lengths of the retorts and at right angles thereto, into two groups, The members of one group are marked 15, lafland the numbers of the other group neiaeca are 17, 17. One group, as 15, 15, serves the heating flues rouped about one group of adjacent ends 0% the retorts, i. e. the right hand ends looking at Fig. 1, while the other group 17, 17", serve the flues at the other ends of the retorts. Each pair of conduits 15, and 17, are in line one with the other but are separated by wall 14. Similarly. each pair composed of a conduit 15 and a conduit 17*, has its members in line but separated by wall 14*. Each conduit is con nected to a regenerator. Those serving conduits 15, 15 are marked 16, 16 respectively, and those serving conduits 17. 17, are marked 18, 18, respectively. Each regenerator 16, 16*, has an airsupply connection 21. to the upper part of a gallery 22, controlled by damper 21. and a connection to a chimney flue 23, controlled by damper 20 Gate 20, closes the air connection 21, when the chimney flue connection is opened, and vice versa. Similarly each regcnerator 18, 18, has an air supply connection 25.

'to the top of a gallery 22, controlled by a damper 25, and a connection to a chimney flue 24, controlled by a damper 19*;v

Similarly, gate 19, closes the air connection 25, when the chimney flue connection is opened, and vice versa.

The lower ends of passageways 33, for the gas burners 28, 28*, and of the air and waste gas passageways 31, 31 normally closed by suitable covers or caps 29. Access to these can be had from galleries 22, in

- the oven foundations.

generators and conduits. The gates 20, on

the other hand, shut off regenerators 16, and

conduits 15, from chimney flue 23, and open them to air inlets 21. Consequently, the draft of chimney flue 24. is exerted to draw fresh air through regenerators 18, (by which said air is heated) into conduits 17,,afrom whence the air so heated is distributed through passages 30, to the flue couples, passing first to combustion flues a, of the couples above conduits 17, andfto combustion flues 3, of the couples below conduit 17, as shown in diagram Fig. 4. Here the hot fresh air meets the gas entering these fines through mains 26 branches 27, and burners 28. The combustible mixtures so formed begin to burn in these fines and the burning and burnt gases so formed pass through ports 7 down vertical flues 3, of the couples above conduits l7, and. vertical fines I of burner cocks 37, 37.

dampers 8, have been once properly ad- 4, of the couples below conduits 17 as shown in diagram, Fig. 4, out through passages 30 to conduits 17, to and through regenerators 18. After heating these regenerators the burnt gases then ass to chimney flue 24. In the same way 0 imney fine 23, pulls air through regenerators 16, and conduits 15, into the members of the pairs of heating flues 3-4, being supplied with gas from main 26, and out through the other flue ofeach pair to adjacent conduits 15, and regenerators 16*. When the regenerators 16 and 18, have fallen to the lowest permissible temperature and 16 and 18, have been heated sufliciently by the waste gases, all gates 19, and 20, are reversed in position, gas valves 36, are closed and 36*.opened. T hereupon, gas main 26f, feeds through branches 27 and burners 28*, and the direction of flow through all conduits and fiues is reversed.

In the above described operation the effective draft on any one air of heating flues 3-4 varies with the distance of the outlet of the pair from the chimney flue.- Thus, if the effective pull of flue 23-, is four ounces, and the friction of regenerator 16, and connection up to the extreme right hand flue 4 (looking at Fig. 1) and other causes reduce that to three ounces, the friction in conduit 15' and other causes may reduce it to one ounce or less'at the mouth of the last flue 4,

to the left, connected to conduit 15, 2'. 6., the flue 4, nearest division wall 14. If no means for counteracting this difference of draft existed there .would be intense combustion in the fiues at each end of each retort 1, shading off to ver Y feeble combustion in those at the middle 0 each retort, and unequal coking action would result. With my invention this tendency can be counteracted by adj usting dampers 8, by tools inserted through openings 10, so that the ports 7, of the first mentioned flue pairs shall have reduced opening and those of the flue pairs last mentioned shall have larger openings. Thus the less powerful draft at the middle zone can pull the air necessary for normal combustion through the flue couples in that zone, while the more powerful draft on the flue couples at the end zones is able to pull only an equal quantity of air through the restricted port openings of the flue couples in those zones. The proper amount of fuel for each flue couple is secured by initial adjustment When these and justed little further individual manipulation will be required. The proper group combustion is then controlled by manipulating air damper 21*, and chimney damper 20, for one end and dampers 25 and 19 for the other. These group dampers can be adjusted from time to time to compensate for varying atmospheric conditions, etc.

Cleaning and inspection of the -flues 3 4 can be etfected'through openings 10 and 12, from the top or through channels 31, 31*, and from the gallery 22, below, by rcmoving covers 29, 29.

By taking air from the upper part of galleries 22, 22, below the ovens. a consider chimney flue 23. is pulling through conduit 15*. on flue 3, on one cycle, or through conduit 15, on flue 4, on the other cycle. the distance of the mouth of flue 3 from regenerator 16 being only a few inches more than the distance of the mouth of the flue 4, from regenerator 16. Thus, even, uniform heating conditions are maintained throughout both cycles of operation. If, however, the walls 14, 14, were removed and conduits 1517 15-17", were continuous, one being served by a regenerator, as 16, at one end, and the other by a regenerator, as 18", at the other end, it is clear that when the chimney pull was through the nearer regeneratcr 16, this the couple would get a powerful draft, while during the other cycle when the chimney pull was through the much more distant regenerator 18*, ,this flue couple would get only a weak draft. Consequently an adjustment of damper 8, which would be right for one cycle would be exactly wrong for the other cycle, and uniform, even coking action during all cycles of operation could not be secur With my invention this individual and inter-group uniformity of action can also be maintained while flexibility of mass action is retained. The retorts 1, usually taper in width slightly from one end to the other to facilitate expulsion of the coke by rams operating always from adj arent retort ends. This makes a thicker body of coal at one end of the retort than at the other and calls for slightly larger heating fines, or more active combustion'in the groups of flues', at-those 'ends.-' This requires that one set of regenerators, as 16, 16, shall have a larger capacity than the other set 18, 18. The principle of segregating the heating flues into particular groups of fines which it serves,

man

and it is never called upon to serve any others.

I wish it understood that various changes can be made in the details of construction shown and described without departing from the substance of my invention so long as the general principles of operation and coaction of parts herein set forth are preserved. 7

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a coking apparatus the combination of a series of retorts, heating tlues in the walls between said retort-s, which fines are connected together in couples, gas burners located in the ends of all the dues, a series of galleries under the retorts extending parallel thereto, there being one such gallery for every two retorts, and a pair of gas mains in each gallery, equipped with branch pipes extending to the burners. one main being thereby connected to one flue of each of the couples in the wall at the right of the retort immediately above it, and to the other fine of each of the couples in the wallat the left of said retort, while the other main is connected to the remaining lines of all the couples, said mains being equipped with closure means by which a supply or" gas for their connected burners may be sent through one, main only of each pair at any one time 2. In a. coking apparatus the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending retorts, a series of vertical heating fines formed in each wall between adjacent re torts connected together in pairs by ports at adjacent ends of the lines, a plurality of conduits each of which is connected to all one set of members of the line pair in the wall adjacent one side of a retort at the flue ends farther removed from the above mentioned ports, and similarly connected to all the other set of members of the flue pairs adjacent the other side of that retort, burners connected to the same ends of all fines, a partition wall located approximately midway of the length of the retort but not cutting it, dividing the conduits into two sections and the lines into two groups, and a regenerator connected to each conduit section.

3. In a coking apparatus the combination of a series of retorts, heating lines in the walls betwecn said retorts, which fines are connected together in couples, gas burners located in the ends of all the fines, a series of galleries under the retorts extending parallel thereto, there being one such gallery for every two retorts, and a pair of gas mains in each gallery, equipped with branch pipes extending to the burners, one main 7 being thereby connected to one due of each of the couples in the wall at the right of the retort immediately above it, and to the other flue of each of the couples in the wall at the left of said retort, while the other noise-ea main is connected to the remaining dues of all the couples, said mains being equipped with closure means by which a supply of gas for their connected burners may be sent through one main only of each pair at any one time, said coking apparatus also being provided with a sole flue, below each retort, which sole flue has branch connections to the lower ends of one member of each flue couple on one side of the retort above it, and to the lower end of the other member of each flue couple on the other side of said retort, together with regenerators connected to said sole lines and. means for reversing the flow of air and Waste gases through said regenerators and lines.

4. In a coking apparatus the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending retorts, a series of vertical heating fines formed in each wall between adjacent retorts connected together in pairs by ports at adjacent ends of the fines, a. plurality of conduits each of which is connected to all one set of members of the flue pairs in a given series in the wall adjacent one side of a retort at the flue ends farther removed from the above mentioned ports, and similarly connected to all the other set of members of the line pairs in a given series adjacent the other side of that retort, burners connected to the same ends of all dues, and a regenerator connected to the outer ends of each one of the conduits.

5. in a coking apparatus the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending retort-s, a series of vertical heating ilues formed in each wall between adjacent retorts connected together in pairs by ports at adjacent ends of the dues, a plurality of conduits each or" which is connected to one set of members of the flue pair in the wall adjacent one side of a retort at the flue ends farther removed from the above-mentioned ports and similarly connected to all the other set of members of the due pair s adjacent the. other side of that retort, burners connected to the same ends of all fines, a partition wall located approximately midway of the length of the retort but not cutting it, dividing the conduits into two sections and the dues into two groups, and regenerator connected to each conduit section, together with individual dampers control ling the admission of air to, and the escape of gases of combustion from, each regenerae tor.

5. In a coking apparatus the combination, with a series of horizontally extending retorts, a series of couples of heating dues in the walls between the retorts, conduits below the retorts, each conduit being connected to the ends of one set of members of the flue couples on one side of the retort above it, and to the ends of the other set of members of the flue couples on the other side of the retort, and gas supply connection to all said flues, of centrally disposed vertical partition walls extending transversely of the conduits dividing said flue couples and conduits into two groups, a separate regenerator connected to the outer end of each conduit, means forreversing the flow of air through said regenerators, conduits and flue couples, and means for controlling the gas connections so that gas shall supplied only to those members of the flue couples to which air is being supplied.

7 In a coking apparatus the combination of a plurality of retorts, a plurality of sets of fines arranged between adjacent retorts, each set of fines between any two retorts beadjacent ends of the conduits and the other ends of the conduits being closed.

HENRY W. BUHLER.

Witnesses: M. V. BRooKs, A. B. THOMAS. 

